Spring holding attachment for automobiles



Aug. 11, 1936. .L. H. PEEPLES 2.

I SPRING HOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Sept. 13, 1955 5Sheets-Sheet l Invenlof Flour: EPee uZe s A llomej;

Aug. 11, 1936.

L.H.PEEPLES SPRING HOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Sept.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor louz's pee ales A Home},

Aug. 11, 1936. H. PEEPLES SPRING HQLDING ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 13, 1935 .Zozals Peep/e5 A Ilorney PatentedAug. 11, 193 6 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE The present inventionrelates to that field of special automobile attachments and equipmentSPRING HOLDING ATTACHMEN '1' FOR AUTOMOBILES Louis 11. Peoples,Over-ton, Tex.

Application September 13, 1935, Serial No. 40,479

5 Claims. (01. 280-) method of hoisting the car ried into effect.

is satisfactorily carnow generally referred'to as automotive accessoriesand appliances and has reference in particular to manually adjusted andcontrolled means for maintaining the conventional semielliptical leafspring in a predetermined compressed state in sucha way as totemporarily join the spring and underslung wheel structure in a mannerto expedite jacking up a wheel directly from the chassis frame.

All who operate present day automobiles have doubtless experienced thedifficulty of handling standard hoisting and lifting jacks when makingtire and wheel repairs and adjustments. Almost invariably in prevailingautomobile construction the transverse front and rear axles are locatedwell under the body of the car, in fact so far under as to make itdifficult to place the jack beneath the. axle or to thereafter removeit. Numerous types of jacks and reach rods and handles are provided inan effort to overcome this hazardous and inconvenient task. Under thecircumstances and confronted with this problem I have attempted to finda practical way of accomplishing the desired result by simply placingthe lifting jack beneath and engaging it directly with either the frontor rear end of the chassis frame. 7 Although the practice of placing thejack underneath the extreme end of the chassis frame is not broadly newit is evident that it requires an unusually long range jack for adequatehoisting. Even then when the chassis is lifted up the springs bowdownwardly due to the hanging a weight of the axle and wheels thereon.It follows that this is the main objection to overcome and I havetherefore perfected a means which is interposed either between thechassis or the body and the intermediate portion of the conventionalleaf spring to temporarily connect the spring with the body and toflatten the spring, so to speak, so that as the chassis is jacked up thespring, axle and wheels go up with it.

In reducing my inventive idea to practice I have found it expedient andpractical to provide an arrangement which comprises broadly a suitablymounted mechanically actuated manually,

controlled hook which is temporarily and rele'asably engageable withkeeper means on the axle and wheel assembly so as to compress and there-Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent from thefollowing description and drawings. 5

In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a conventional automobile with aportion in the rear broken away to disclose features of the inventionand to show how the jack is used in ac- 10 cordance with my idea.

Figure 2 is a view primarily in elevation and partly in section showingthe front spring and axle assembly and indicating the embodiment of theinvention used at this end of the structure. 15

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view illustrating theprincipal features disclosed in Figure 2. t

Figure 4 is a top plan view showing the special spring clip with itsproperly designed keeper lug. 20

- Figure 5 is a view of the clip per se.

Figure 6 is ,a view primarily in elevation showing the means orembodiment of the invention used at the rear end of the automobile forthe purpose of connecting the rear axle and spring 5 (not shown) withthe bodyto accomplish the desired jacking results.

Figure '7 is an assembly view disclosing the essential features of thehook means shown on a smaller scale in Figure 6. 30

Figure 8 is a view illustrating the rule-type joint used between thepivoted hook and rocker arm.

Figure 9 is an" edge view of the arm and hook separated adjacent theiradjoining ends. 35

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the especially designed rocker shaft.

Figure 11' is an enlarged edge elevation of the same.

It is evident from the explanation thus far that 0 in accordance with myidea it is necessary to provide one embodiment of the invention for thefront end spring and axle structure and a different type at the rearend. Although I will not v attempt at this stage in the description todis- 45 close the features which are akin to each other and while I willnot attempt to give a generic rsum, I will proceed to describe first thestructure shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive and thereafter and attachedto this by a conventional clip is the transverse axle |4 carrying thefront wheel IS. The spring, wheel and axle assembly is of customaryform. The attachment which constitutes the means of joining the spring|3 to the chassis bar |2 comprises one part mounted on the axle andspring and another part on the chassis. In-

' cidentally the details at the front of the opposite side of themachine are the same and a description of one attachment will sufilcefor both devices.

Calling attention now to Figure 5 it will be observed that one of thespring clips, that is the oneindicated by numeral I6, is provided withan integral extension or finger I! which constitutes a keeper lug.Hereinafter this is referred 'to broadly as keeper means. Cooperablewith this is the properly shaped bill |8 of a part which may be broadlyand unitarily referred to as a pivoted or swingable hook IS. The stem ofthe hook is mounted for oscillation in a bearing forming a part of anattaching bracket or mounting 2| suitably mounted to the chassis bar.The upper end of the shank or stem of the hook is bent laterally asindicated at 22 to form an oscillating or rocker arm. The movement ofthis in opposite directions is limited by the two stop pins 23 and 24carried by the top plate 25 of the fixture as shown in Figure 3. As alsoshown in Figure 3 the numeral 26 designates a spring attached to thepivoted end of a push-pull rod 21 as indicated at 28. This spring isanchored at its opposite end on the plate 25 as indicated at 29. Itsfunction is to hold the rocker arm 22 in either of its two extremepositions, that is against the pin 24 or the pin 23 as the case may be.In other words the spring automatically bows itself so as to accomplishthis result. Consequently it keeps the parts engaged in one position anddisengaged in the other position. The rod 21 is 'mounted above thechassis bar l2 and extends through a guide bracket 30 and terminates ina finger piece 3|. In practicethe features 30 and 3| are located beneaththe hood of the automobile so that by raising one side of the hood thefinger grip 3| is accessible to permit convenient operation of the rod21. In this connection I might point out that the lower end portionincluding the hook I 9 is oilset slightly, that is laterally offset withrespect to the longitudinal dimension or axis as shown in Figure 2. Thisis to permit the hook I9 to swing clear of the keeper lug II when it isdisengaged therefrom. It is evident that these features l1 and I8 arenormally disengaged while the car is in motion. When it is desired tojack the car up from the front all that is necessary is to raise thehood and to adjust the rod 21 so as to swing the bill I8 of the hook l9underneath the keeper lug H. In so doing the spring i3 is held in asubstantially flat, that is non-bowed, state. Hence by placing the jackunder the extreme front end of the chassis bar I2 and operating it thespring, axle and adjacent wheel is lifted as a unit. Consequently, arelatively short conventional lifting jack will sufilce for lifting thewheel clear of the ground a distance sufficient to make for repairs andtire exchange.

Basically, the same idea is utilized at the rear end of the vehicle.Referring to Figure 6 Icall attention to the numeral 32 which designatesthe rear seat and it will be observed that the lateral finger grip orhandle 33 of the rocker shaft 34 is conveniently associated therewith.This puts it in a position so that by reaching down the user can gethold of the handle or lever" and turn it to oscillate the shaft 34. Theshaft 34 has a crank intermediate its ends as indicated at 35 and areturn spring 36 is connected with this and anchored on the body. Theopposite end of the rocker shaft is mounted for oscillation in an ap- 5propriate U-shaped hanger bracket 31. A substantially L-sh'aped part iscarried by the rocker shaft and includes a depending member 38terminating in a horizontal eye or link 39 which embraces a dependingrocker arm 40. This rock- 10 er arm loosely surrounds the adjacent endof the rocker shaft and is confined in the hanger bracket 31 as shown inFigures 6 and 7. By oscillating the rocker shaft through theinstrumentality of the handle. 33 this swings the arm 40 in eitherdirection as is obvious.

In this arrangement the keeper means comprises a special adaptor element4| mounted rigidly on the rear axle 42. This extends upwardly andisprovided on one face with rack or keeper 0 teeth 43. The bill 44 of thehook 46 is fashioned especially to engage the inclined teeth 43. Thelower end of the arm 40 terminates in a disk-like head 46 provided witha stop shoulder 41 with which a similar shoulder -48' on the segmental25 head-of the hook cooperates. The two heads are pivoted together asindicated at 49 to form a sort of a rule joint. The numeral 50designates a coil spring which bridges the joint and is anchored at oneend of the intermediate portion of the arm 30 40 and at the opposite endon the intermediate portion of the swingable hook 45. The tension of thespring 50 is such as to normally keepthe arm and hook in approximateobtuse angular relationship normally as indicated in Figure 7. It 35 ispossible however by proper mechanical stress to change the relationshipof the parts so that the hook swings into longitudinal alinement withthe arm 40. This position is not shown but is the final adjustedposition when the bill 44 is engaged with the keeper teeth 43. Spring isa sort of compensating or safety means which will be described later.

Under normal circumstances the coiled spring 36 exerts a stress or pullon the oscillatory rocker shaft 34 to actuate the parts to disengage thehook 44 from the keeper means 4|. Under the circumstances the specialrule jointbetween the parts 40 and 4| maintains them, due to the actionof the spring 50 in substantially obtuse angular relationship. Bygrasping the finger piece 33 and operating the rocker shaft in theproper direction the link 39 swings against the arm 40 to adjust it in adirection towards the keeper means 4|. As it is pulled over in thisdirection the spring 50 stretches and allows the hook 45 to graduallystraighten out and the bill 44 to engage the proper one of the teeth 43.As a general proposition the part 45 will straighten out intolongitudinal alinement with the arm 40 at which time we have a hookedconnection between the axle 42 and the body of the car which functionsthe same as the arrangement shown in Figure 2. In other words it holdsthe leaf spring comparatively straight at this time and joins ittemporarily to the car so that by lifting the car, the spring, axle andwheels go up with it. Should the user forget to disengage the rear hook44 it is evident that when the car is again lowered and weight isbrought to bear on the 7" spring, that is the leaf spring, at the rear,this will raise up the keeper 4| sufllciently to disengage it from thehook 44. As soon as it is disengaged the spring 36 then comes into playto pull it in a lateraldirection away from the teeth 43 and spring 50also comes into play to adjust the parts 45 and 40 back to the sameposition as shown in Figure 7. This is an automatic safety feature towhich, it is believed, is necessary in a device of this kind.

Generically observed, it will be noted that both embodiments of theinvention are characterized by features in common. In other words inboth,

forms we have suitable keepermeans (H in Figure 2 and 4| in Figure 7)either mounted on or carried by the front or rear axle as the case maybe. In both embodiments we have the manually controlled means (21 inFigure 2 and 33 and 34 in Figure 6) for controlling and actuating thehook means. The hook means ap pears broadly in both forms of theinvention where it is made up of a single hook member as shown in Figure2 or as a sectional hook construction as shown in Figure '7. Thus wehave a swingable. hook properly mounted on either the chassis or body asthe case may be and manual means and keeper control means. I mentionthese factors in order that the following generic claims may be betterappreciated.

It is thought that the description taken in connection with the drawingswill enable a clear understanding of the invention to be had. Therefore,a more lengthy description is thought unnecessary.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that minor changes coming within thefield of invention claimed may be resorted,

to if desired.

What is claimed is:

1. In a structural assemblage of the class described, in combination, abody having bearing means, a rocker shaft mounted for oscillation insaid bearing means and having a handle atone end, spring retaining meansfor said rocker shaft, a rocker arm associated with the shaft, anoperating connection between the rocker arm and shaft, and a hookpivotally mounted on the lower end of said rocker arm.

2. In a structural assemblage of the class described, in combination, abody having bearing means, a rocker shaft mounted for oscillation insaid bearing means and having a handle at one end, spring retainingmeans for said rocker shaft, a rocker arm associated with the shaft, an

operating connection between the rocker arm and shaft, and a hookpivotally mounted on the lower end of said rocker arm, together with aspring fastened to the intermediate portions of the rocker arm and hookrespectively to serve in the manner and for the purposes described.

3. In a structure of the class described, a hanger bracket, a rocker armhaving operating means at one end and associated with said bracket,spring return means cooperable with the rocker arm, a hook havingpivoted rule joint connection with the lower end of said rocker arm, andsafety spring means associated with the rule joint and said hook and armrespectively.

4. In a structural assemblage of the class described, ln combination, avehicle body, a bearing and hanger bracket rigidly but detachably 1mounted on the body at a predetermined point, a wheel-equipped axledisposed beneath the body, a temporarily usable relatively fixedmultiple toothed keeper member on the axle located in a lineapproximately beneath said bracket, a sec- 2 tional depending axlesuspension and spring retention device pivotally hung from said bracketand movable in relation to the bracket and keeper member spring meansconnected with said device and serving normally to disengage 2 thedevice from the keeper member and to hold said device in an elevatedout-of-the-way position, said spring means having the additionalfunction of maintaining the device yieldably engaged with the keepermember during the axle lifting operation, and manually actuated rockershaft means freely connected with said device to release the device at apredetermined and opportune time.

5. In a structure of the class described, in 3 combination, a vehiclebody, a wheel-equipped axle arranged beneath said body, an upstandingtoothed keeper element caried by said axle, a hanger bracket mounted onthe body above said keeper element, a horizontally disposed rocker shaftmounted for rotation on said body and provided at one end with a fingergrip, a coiled spring anchored on the body and attached to said rockershaft. '9. vertical rocker arm swingably connected at its upper end withsaid hanger bracket, an operating connection between the rocker arm androcker shaft, a hook pivotally connected to the lower end of said rockerarm, and spring means attached at one end to the rocker arm and at itsopposite end to the hook.

LOUIS H. PEEPLES.

